Can Sugar Gliders Eat Cucumbers or is this Toxic?

Have you ever wondered if sugar gliders can eat cucumbers? You’re not alone. Every day, many sugar glider owners are asking themselves the same question. On the one hand, this is good news, it means that people take the nutrition of their pet glider seriously. On the other hand, the answer can be hard to find. Sugar gliders are notoriously hard to feed and can be quite the picky eaters.

In this post, I’m going to discuss everything you need to know before you feed cucumbers to your glider. I will discuss the topic quite in-depth, to give you the most complete answer possible. However, if you want a quick version of the answer, here it is: Sugar gliders can eat cucumber. Nothing in it is harmful to your glider. It’s not the most nutritious food available, but it does contain decent amounts of fiber, water, and potassium. It’s also low in calories, so there’s not much risk of overfeeding your glider on this refreshing snack.

However, it’s important to follow the right steps to prepare it properly, and give your glider the right amounts, so keep reading, and I’ll go over everything you need to know.

---

Cucumber nutrition – is it safe for sugar gliders?

Cucumbers grow from flowers and have seeds and are therefore fruits, not vegetables. I just wanted to get that out of the way because I will be referring to it as a fruit, not a vegetable, so don’t get confused.

One cup of fresh cucumber has the following nutrients:

• 15 calories
• 8 grams of carbs
• 0.6 grams of fiber
• 0.6 grams of protein
• 0.2 grams of fat

On top of that the same cup of fresh cucumbers contains the following vitamins and minerals:

• 17 mcg of vitamin K
• 3 mg of vitamin C
• 0.1 mg of vitamin B6
• 6 mg of magnesium
• 13 mg of potassium

One important thing to note is that it’s best to not peel the cucumber. The skin contains the majority of the nutrients, much more than the inside and the seeds, and should therefore be left on.

Can sugar gliders have cucumber?

Nothing in the cucumber is bad for your glider, so yes they can safely eat it. As always, even though this fruit is low in calories, you should make sure that you do not overfeed your glider. The fruit might be low in calories, but it’s quite high in water. If you overfeed your glider on it it can result in a runny stool due to its high water content.

Also, you have to make sure that you properly wash the fruit because it often contains pesticides. According to a study from the USDA, no less than 86 types of potential pesticide residue can be found on the skin of a cucumber. These are not good for your glider to ingest and should be removed. The ideal way to wash the fruit is by soaking it in a mixture of cold water and baking soda. Studies have shown that this is more effective than any other method at getting rid of pesticides that are found on produce.

Is cucumber good for sugar gliders?

Cucumber is fine for your glider to eat, but there are alternative fruits and vegetables that contain way more nutrients, such as blueberries or kiwis. Giving your glider a piece of cucumber as part of a varied diet is good for them, but it should by no means be a large part of their diet.

Do sugar gliders like cucumber?

Most sugar gliders absolutely love eating cucumber. However, these little animals are known for being picky eaters, and some gliders might not be interested in cucumber at all. The best way to find out is by trying it out yourself! Simply offer them some cucumber and see how your furry friend reacts.

How much is too much?

Now that you know that your glider can safely eat cucumber, you’re probably wondering how much of it they can eat. Since these fruits are low in calories, there’s not all that much risk of overfeeding – your glider won’t get fat if it eats a little bit too much of it.

However, because of the high water content, it can cause diarrhea. Therefore, if your glider has never eaten cucumber before it’s good to start out slow so that you can monitor their response. Start out by giving them a very small piece of cucumber to see how they react, if they react well, you can give them a slightly larger slice the next time. By introducing new food to their diet this way you give their digestive system some time to adjust, making it much easier on your glider to get used to this delicious new food.

As long as you give your glider a large variety of different kinds of fruits and vegetables, you can feed them cucumber every other day without any issues.

How to feed cucumber to your glider

Feeding cucumber to your glider isn’t very hard, just follow these steps and you’ll be ready to go in a few minutes:

1. Soak the cucumber in a mixture of water and baking soda for a couple of minutes.
2. Rinse it off with some water.
3. Cut it into slices (do not remove the skin).
4. Give your glider a small slice.
5. See how they react!

A good diet is very important

Your glider’s health starts with its diet. If you feed them an improper diet they cannot thrive and will not be happy. Therefore, it’s very important that you feed them the right kinds of food.

However, knowing which foods are the “right” foods, is sometimes difficult. To help with that, I have written a complete guide on what you should feed your glider. If you’ve ever asked yourself questions like “what can I feed my sugar gliders?” or “what can sugar gliders not eat?” then I highly recommend you check out the guide I’ve written, which you can find here.

The short of it is this, the ideal diet for a glider is made up of the following components:

• 60% Leadbeater mixture.
• 30% pellets.
• 10% fresh fruits and vegetables + the occasional treat such as mealworms.
• Unlimited access to fresh water.

Healthy alternatives to cucumbers for your sugar gliders

So, now you know that gliders can eat cucumbers. However, you also know that they should eat a large variety of different fruits and veggies. Luckily, there are many different kinds of fruits and veggies that your glider will enjoy. Here is a short list of the best glider-approved fruits and veggies:

• Tomatoes
• Celery
• Apple (without the seeds!)
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Mango
• Papaya
• Broccoli
• Carrots

So, now you know everything there is to know about feeding cucumber to your glider! I hope you found this information helpful and that it answered all your questions. If you still have a burning question, feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.

---

FAQ

Can sugar gliders eat cucumber seeds?

Yes, they can safely eat the seeds. They do not pose a threat to your glider and they are so small that they’re not a choking hazard.

Can sugar gliders eat pickles?

They can not! Pickles might be made from cucumbers, but they’re preserved in brine and an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. Those are not good for your glider so do not give them pickles.